Ruan Shujin quietly slipped out of the crowd. This farewell felt like it would be the last time she’d see them.
An Minhua’s abrupt appearance made her clutch her cloth satchel tightly.
She had expected that he would come looking for her, but hadn’t expected it to be so soon.
Ruan Shujin found a spot where she could call for help if necessary.
An Minhua stood with his hands on his hips, glaring at her.
“Ruan Shujin, you’re ruthless! Those were your own family, and you just let them die. And they treated you so well!”
“How did you even manage it? The inheritance your grandfather left you could have guaranteed your descendants a worry-free future, and yet it was all fake. I really admire your skill. On the surface, you seemed close to us, but in reality, you’d already transferred all the treasures away.”
An Minhua, full of emotion, grabbed Ruan Shujin by the arm, demanding answers.
Naturally, Ruan Shujin didn’t hold back. She slapped him across the face so hard that her palm hurt.
She cursed the fact that, unlike in her previous life, her present self hadn’t experienced hardships and thus felt weak in the hands.
An Minhua covered his face, staring in disbelief at the mill heiress who used to trail him obediently and give him whatever he wanted—now her eyes were full of hatred.
“No, no, no! You’re not Ruan Shujin. She wouldn’t treat me like this!”
“Who… are you?”
Ruan Shujin hissed, glaring at him.
“I am—unchanging in name, Ruan Shujin. I was foolish before, but from now on, don’t show off in front of me. Every time I see you, I’ll hit you again.”
An Minhua timidly reached out, but before his hand even touched her, it was slapped away. Sheepishly, he held his own wrist and, remembering what Zheng Shuya had said, finally spoke.
“If you’re still willing to save them, then I’m still willing to marry you.”
“They’ve all been sent to a small village in the black market. They didn’t even take any supplies before leaving. If you have any conscience left, go to the black market and take care of everything for them. I might even speak up for you a little, so they don’t get back at you.”
“Don’t forget—you’re still their family. You can’t escape forever.”
“I advise you to take care of yourself. If you’re unwilling to go to the black market, at least gather some of your possessions and hand them to me. I’ll make sure your family gets them. Remember, your family is what truly matters.”
Ruan Shujin listened to An Minhua’s words, but the more she listened, the more she felt like giving herself a few hard slaps.
How could she have been so blind?
There are plenty of good men in the world, and yet she had set her eyes on someone like him.
Seeing Ruan Shujin turn to leave, An Minhua hurriedly chased after her, wanting to grab her, but ultimately restrained himself.
“Have you really given up on them? How can you be like this?”
Ruan Shujin didn’t want to waste any more time on this useless man and decided to speak clearly.
“Don’t expect me to save them—I don’t have that ability. My grandfather left a will forbidding me from supporting them. Over the years, I spoiled them, indulged them, and what did I get? A bunch of ungrateful brats. If you want to help, do it yourself. Don’t drag me into it.”
“Also, don’t appear in front of me again. You’re not some good person either. All these years, you’ve been lying to me. I know perfectly well what your real intentions were.”
Her voice rose as she spoke.
She had believed in their supposed marriage, but from beginning to end, it had only been a joke.
If that was the case, in this life, she would have no further dealings with him.
Who he married was his own business.
An Minhua scratched his head, thinking Ruan Shujin had gone crazy. Before he could fully react, someone put a sack over him and beat him, making him call out for his parents.
The worst part? He didn’t even know who had done it.
Ruan Shujin returned home and guzzled water furiously.
Ruan Dong snatched the teacup from her hands.
“Enough! Stop drinking! Are you trying to poison yourself with water?”
Ruan Dong had no idea when she had developed this habit—when upset, she’d guzzle water recklessly, sometimes to the point of vomiting, yet she’d keep drinking.
Chapter 13: Brother-in-Law Doesn’t Seem Like the Two-Timing Type (2/2)
Her body couldn’t take that.
Ruan Shujin steadied herself.
“Uncle, I’m fine. I just ran into a piece of bad luck.”
Ruan Dong didn’t need to guess much to know exactly who she meant.
“Ah Jin, you’re no longer a single young lady. You’re married now. Interfering with a military marriage comes with consequences.”
“Uncle, it’s not like that. I just felt sick when I saw that person.”
Ruan Dong gave the two kids a look, and they went outside to watch the gate.
He then fixed his gaze back on Ruan Shujin.
“Since it’s in the past, don’t dwell on it. Everyone makes mistakes. Just remember, you’re married now—a married woman.”
Ruan Shujin knew what her uncle was worried about.
“Don’t worry, Uncle. I won’t fall into the same trap twice. Besides…” She paused. “…life is the most important thing.”
After calming down, Ruan Shujin went to the space to check on the seedlings she had planted—they were vibrant and full of life. Looking at the chickens, ducks, geese, and the playful little dog, her mood lifted.
She entered the large villa in the space and looked at the dozens of large boxes on the first floor. After thinking it over, she decided it made more sense to move them to the basement.
Curiously, though each box was packed full, moving them wasn’t difficult at all.
Ruan Shujin took the time to tour the villa, which was modeled after her grandfather’s old home.
At first glance, it looked the same, but upon closer inspection, she noticed some differences.
The villa even had an elevator connecting five hidden floors, and each room was uniquely designed for its function. Some of the items inside seemed even more advanced than those in her previous life.
After exploring the entire house, including the basement, she collapsed on the sofa to rest.
Suddenly, she heard Ruan Yu calling her.
Ruan Shujin threw the little dog she had been cuddling aside and returned.
“What’s wrong, Ruan Yu?”
“Ah Jie, it’s broad daylight—how can you sleep so soundly? I’ve been calling you for ages.”
“You’ve just been exhausted, after everything that’s happened lately.”
Ruan Shujin didn’t forget her duties. She asked Ruan Yu again, and after hearing the answer, she bounced up, feeling uneasy.
Ruan Yu, following behind on her skinny legs, called out:
“Ah Jie, don’t get upset. Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding. Brother-in-law doesn’t seem like the two-timing type.”
“Ah Jie, you need to control your emotions. After all, we can’t afford to anger brother-in-law right now.”
Ruan Yu’s words calmed Ruan Shujin down.
At ten years old, Ruan Yu was unusually perceptive, understanding the situation clearly. Even though she and Xie Zheng had filed the marriage report, she hadn’t yet received the marriage certificate.
Their relationship wasn’t something that could be summarized in a few words.
Besides, she married Xie Zheng partly because of his status.
Ruan Yu held her sister’s hand.
“Ah Jie, remember: stay calm. No matter what, you’re officially an officer’s wife now!”
Ruan Shujin forced a bitter smile. “Little Ah Yu, your sister hasn’t even got the certificate yet.”
“But the marriage report has your information on it!”
Ruan Shujin considered this and realized she was right.
She ruffled Ruan Yu’s hair. The girl was trying to prevent her from getting upset, but honestly, she didn’t even have the energy to be angry. Things were moving too fast, and she wasn’t sure how to handle this marriage yet.
Ruan Shujin carefully slipped out the main gate, noticing a plain woman outside holding a child.
“Are you looking for Xie Zheng?”
The woman looked at Ruan Shujin and hurried forward, speaking Mandarin with an unfamiliar regional accent. “Comrade, do you know where he is?”